Animal trap



Sept. 4, 1934. A. E. KINSLEY 1,972,347

AN IMAL TRAP Filed Jan. 51, 1933 lnvsnron QSMtLJM Patented Sept. 4, 1934 "PATENT OFFICE Albert E. Kinsley, Norwich, N. Y. Application January 31, 1933, Serial No. 654,452

Claims. (01. 43-81) in This invention relates to an' animal trap in which a pair of jaws 'arepivotallyconnected to each other to swing about a commonaxis to and from their closed positions in combination with V '5 a co-axialcoil spring normallyurging said jaws towardLtheirclosedpositions and a pivoted bait holder having meansx cooperating with one of .the jaws for holding said jaws in their open positions against the actionv of the spring.

.One of "the objects of .the invention is taprovideone of the jaws and bait holder withxcooperative means for holding thejaws in different open' positions'or .at different angles relatively to each other.

Another; object is tOL'DIOVidB means for enclosing and :concealingthe jaw-actuating spring. :-Other objects 1 and uses relatingto specific parts of the trap "will be brought out in the followingdescription. .a j v 20 In..thedrawing:.'f f. I

Figure 1'. is a.perspective viewqof an animal .trap embodying the various features'of my invention in whichthe jawsiare'shown in their closed' positions: I A i Figure .2 .is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of :the, same trap taken in the plane of;line 2--2, Figure Lthebaitpan being'shown 'by'dotted linesin position=for holding one of the jaws in its open position, said j'awsbeing also indicated by. dottedlines in different open positions. a? Figure 3 .iszan enlarged transverse verticalsectional view taken in the plane of line'33, Figure 2, showing more particularly the, manner of ,35 attaching .the spring to .therjaws and also the barrel in which the spring is enclosed. Figures 4 and 5 are detailsectional views taken respectively on lines 44 and 55, Figure3.

Figure 6 is a perspective View; of fragmentary .;1. portions ofthe crossbar of one ofthe jaws and adjacent portion of thebait-supporting lever.

Figure 7 is an .enlargedtransverse vertical sectional view taken in theplane-of line 7-7, Figure 1. V

Figure 8 is an. enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 8-8, Figure 7,'showing morejparticularly the manner of attaching the bait-supporting pan'to the crossbar of the base frame or lower jaw. r-j 1 As illustrated, this animal trap comprises a pair of jaws 1 and 2, a coil spring 3 and a baitholder4; For convenience .ofndescription and terminology of theclaima the, jaws'l-and 2 may be de- 55 scribed respectively-ass. base, frame. and a jaw frame in that the frame 1 is adapted to be supported upon the ground while the jaw frame 2 is movable toward and from the base frame.

Both of these frames are preferably made of malleable iron or equivalent moldablematerial, the frame 1 being preferably U-shaped in that it comprises opposite arms 5 connectedat one end by a cross bar 6.

' The free ends of the arms 5 are provided with cylindrical bearings or trunnions '7, said arms being connected by a cross bar 8 having its op-' posite ends seated in suitable ;recesses 9 in the upper edges of said arms and; secured therein by rivets 10 or equivalent fastening means.

-The, cross bar 9 is located between the trunnions '7 and cross bar-6 and preferably adjacent said trunnions for holding the arms S against spreading, said cross bar 8 being extended downwardly between the arms5 and provided with shoulders 11 for engaging the inner faces of said arms and thereby rigidly holding the arms against inward movement toward each other.

.The cylindrical hearings or trunnions '7 are relatively short axially and are providedwith central openings 12 for reducing the weight of '80 they frame-1. I I V v The jaw frame 2 is of slightly less length and widththan the corresponding length and width of the base frame 1 so that its free end-may pass freely between the opposite arms of the base frame and within the cross bar .6 to assure com- :plete closing of the jaw upon the animal which may be caught between the jaws. r

In other words, this jaw; frame 2 comprisesa cylindrical or:barrel-1ike cross member 13 atom end and opposite sideiarms 14 projecting forwardlytherefrom and having their front ends connected by a cross bar 15, thereby constituting an open frame with the barrel 13 at one end and the cross bar 15 at the opposite end together with the opposite arms 14 connecting the cross members. 2.:

.The cylindrical barrel 13 is of about the same interior diameter as the cylindrical bearings or trunnions 7 and has its opposite end journaled '100 'upon said bearings, thereby constituting a pivotal connection between the two frames 1 and 2 to permit'them to open andclose about the axis of the trunnions. 7

The coil spring 3 is enclosed within the tubular bearing 13 between the trunnions 7 and has one end engaged in a corresponding slot 16 in the adjacent end of the barrel 13 and its other end .engaged in a radial slot 17 in the inner faceof the opposite trunnion 7, said spring being tensioned '110 upper side of the cross bar 8 so that the opposite:

walls of the groove serve to hold the bait pan against lateral movement.

The extension 18 is providedlwith outwardly;

projecting trunnions which are engaged. in bearings 21 in opposite walls of the slot19'and open at to be inserted into the bearings from the rear side forwardly, as shown fmore clearly in Figures 2,6,7and8.

The "extension 18 is arranged edgewise-vertic'allyand projects upwardly from the trunnions 20 some distance above the upper surface of the cross bar 8 and has its rear upper end-angular inside elevation to form a pawl--22;rigid-therewith.

trap is The cylindrical bearing 13 is provided intermediate its ends with a plurality of, in this-instance two, ratchet teeth or shoulders 23 a'rranged in 'circumferentially spaced relation and also in 'alinement with the pawl 22 to be engaged by the said pawl oneat a time for holdingth'e jaw 2 in different open positions or atdifferent angles relatively to thejaw 1, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. A 7

These shoulders 23' are preferably formed upon the periphery of the barre1'l3- at an-angleto each other of in this instance about "degl, one ofs'aid shoulders being disposed at a'nangle of substantially 90 deg, to" the plane ofnthe :arms 14 and normally at the lower 'side of thebarrel when the jaw 2 is closed, theother'shoulderbeing disposed in about the same 'plane-as the arms 14 but normally at the rear side of the barrels It is now evident that if' the jaw 2 is opened by hand from its normal closed position through an'arc of approximately 90 degpitr-will bring one of the shoulders 23 into registration-with the pawl 22 at which'time the elevation ofpthe. bait pan 4 by hand about the axis of its trunn'ions 20 will engagesaid pawl with the registering shoulde'r'to hold the' jaw 2 in its-partially open positionagainst the action of'th'e :spring 53;).

Or, the jaw 2 may be swung toiits extreme open position throughan arc of approximately 180 deg; thereby bringing the other. shoulder2-3 into registration registering shoulder and to hold the jaw in; its extreme open position, as shown by dotted. hnes 'atthe'right of Figure 2, against the action of .the

Springs) 7 One'method of assembling the parts of' the to slide the barrel 13' telescopicallyiover and upon the coil spring 3 to inter-engage the walls of the slot 16 with the adjacent outwardly protruding end of the spring, asshown in'-.Figure 3, before the spring is placed under tension.

' Before the cross bar 8 is secured to the-oppositearms 5 the trunnion ends-of saidarms maybe "spread a sufilc'int a'inount to allowthe barre11'3 to be insertedbetween them afterjwhich thetrunnion-ends of the arms maybe compressed toward "with the bait pan attached thereto may be placed in operativeposition in the recesses 9 and rivete cl in place to form a stop for limiting the clos- 1 ing movement of the jaw 2 and also to hold the their rear ends to permit thejtrunnions;

with the pawl 22 which isthen operated by lifting the bait pan 4 to engage the to normally hold the jaws in their closed position connected to the barrel 13 through the slot 16 .andfithe" other end to" the adjacent trunnion through the radial slot -17. V ..The.. jaw 2 may then be rotated by hand one or more turns through the opening in the frame is e.

:li'in the proper direction for placing the spring under the desired tension whereupon the cross bar rear;; en ds of the arms 5 upon the trunnions '7 against lateral spreading movement.

That is,-before.the cross bar 8 istpla'ced in ends-10f the opposite walls of the slot 19 will be suflicie'ntly close. to, thezinner side of the barrel 13 to prevent rearward displacement of the trimnions 20rfrom their bearings 21 without in any. way interfering with the'movemen't oflthe shoulners-23 of the barrel I3las' the jaw2 is-mcked to different a. angular positions relatively to the law 1.

Under; these conditions, the .bait pan 4 and .1tsZpawls22..-may beyrocked freely aboutthe axis of itstrunnio'nsBO irrespective-of the angular movement :of the'1.jaw.2'to enable saidlpawl to be brought into engagement with any one of the shoulders 23 as the jaw 2 is swung todiflerent 71315 posit-ions indicated by dottedlines in Figure 2 for holdingathesjaw -in either of saidpositions against. theaction of the spring -3.

It will be noted, however, that when the. bait pahwis-tripped by the animal it lies solidly against .120

the :upper surface of the adjacent portion of the cross bar 8- to: :partiallysupport: the animal and 1 allow the-jawZ to impinge-portions of the animal between saidj'awand'the marginal edges of the pan. 4 as :wellas betweenboth jaws, thereby'efr fecting an instantaneous killing of the animal without seriously mutilating the-pelt.

-' iTheentiretrapconstructed in the manner" de scribed is articulai'ly strongand highly effective in trapping animals of widely varying sizes, but 13 obviously somechan'ges maybe made in the details without departing from the spirit ofthe invention- V 3 .1.-.An animal. strap comprising a U-shaped frame having its opposlte arms provided with -trunnions, 'a jaw-tramehaving :a barrel at one 'end journale'd "on' saidtnmnions for angular movement, a coil spring housed within the barrel and having'one end attached:to the barrel and its 1 --other end attached-"to one of the trunnions, said spring being 'te'n'sione'dto close the jaw name, meansincluding a detent 'forholding said jaw frame in an open position against the-action of i said spring, andanimfal-operated means fortrip- 5 ping the detent.

2. In an animal trap, a U-shaped base=frame "having itsoppo'site' annsi prmided with trunnions, --aja;w-rrame having "a tubular housing journaled on saidtrunniona' a ooil sprin'gnwithinsaid hous- :15

ing operatively connected to both frames for closing the same one upon the other, means including a detent for holding the jaw-frame in different open positions, and animal-operated means for tripping the detent.

3. In an animal trap, a U-shaped base-frame having its opposite arms provided with trunnions, a jaw-frame having a. tubular housing journaled on said trunnions, a coil spring within said housing operatively connected to both frames for closing the same one upon the other, a cross bar connecting said arms and disposed in the path of closing movement of the jaw frame to form a stop therefor and also to hold said arms against spreading, means including a detent mounted on said cross-bar for holding the jaw-frame in different open positions, and animal-operated means for tripping the detent.

4. In an animal trap, a U-shaped base-frame having its opposite arms provided with trunnions, a jaw-frame having a. tubular housing journaled on said trunnions, said housing having a plurality of peripheral shoulders arranged in circumferentially spaced relation, a coil spring within the housing for closing the jaw frame, a detent mounted on the base frame for engaging any one of said shoulders to hold the jaw frame in an open position, and animal-operated means for tripping the detent.

5. In an animal trap, a U-shaped base frame having its opposite arms provided with trunnions, a jaw-frame having a tubular housing journaled on said trunnions for angular movement about the axis thereof, a coil spring within said housing for closing the jaw-frame, a cross-bar connecting said arms in the path of closing movement of the jaw-frame, and a bait holder pivoted to the cross bar and provided with a detent, said housing being provided with peripheral shoulders arranged in circumferentially spaced relation and movable therewith into sequential registration with the detent, for engagement thereby to hold the jaw-frame in different open positions.

ALBERT E. KINSLEY; 

